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Six-year-old reunited with the helicopter crew who airlifted her twice

08 August 2017

A six-year-old girl from Anglesey has been reunited with the lifesaving helicopter charity which came to her aid twice, and has raised donations to help fund their mission across Wales.

Cadi Owen was 16-months-old when she was involved in an accident, leaving her desperately needing emergency medical attention.

The toddler and her family were watching bike racing at Anglesey Circuit and were enjoying lunch when little Cadi reached for a banana on the picnic table, accidentally knocking a scalding cup of tea over herself.

Her family and other spectators immediately sprang into action and administered first aid, but it was clear that she urgently needed help.

Rachel Owen, Cadi’s mother, said: “We were ever so lucky, as I had just passed my first aid training, and we were able to get her straight into the ambulance and up to the circuit medical centre in minutes.

“They assessed her, providing her with the necessary first aid before calling 999.”

Wales Air Ambulance was dispatched to the scene, landing at the race circuit before airlifting the 16-month-old to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

“I went with her in the helicopter, and we were flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd, and on assessment they decided her burns were so severe that she needed to be immediately transferred to further care,” Rachel said.

Wales Air Ambulance airlifted Cadi to the burns unit at Alder Hay Children’s Hospital for the care she needed, and was urgently rushed into the operating theater to treat her burns.

Rachel said: “We were informed that she would need an operation as soon as possible to save her skin.

“The operation was a success and Biobrane, a synthetic skin substitute, was fitted. And within four days she was allowed home.

“We were told that the immediate response of all involved meant that she would make a full recovery with very little scarring,” Rachel added.

Now six-years-old, Cadi was reunited with the crew that rescued her four and a half years ago, visiting Wales Air Ambulance’s North Wales crew at the charity’s Caernarfon airbase, and she was given a tour of the charity’s lifesaving aircraft.

Wales Air Ambulance has four helicopters positioned across Wales in Caernarfon, Llanelli, Welshpool and Cardiff, and the charity can be anywhere in Wales within 20 minutes.

Each of the charity’s lifesaving missions costs around £1,500, funded entirely by kind donations and support.

The family has been fundraising for the Welsh helicopter charity since they came to Cadi’s aid, completing a variety of fundraising activities to help Wales Air Ambulance raise the £6.5 million needed every year to fund its operations.

Rachel said: “We are ever so grateful for the help they gave to our little girl, and we have become passionate in raising funds for them.

“In the past we have sold hotdogs for donations at the race circuit, and this year we decided to do a family challenge, running various races in the Liverpool Rock and Roll Marathon Weekend.

“I ran a full marathon, as well as completing a 5k with my mum, and Cadi ran the 1-mile race with her dad and Nain.

“Between the four of us, we ran a total of 34.5 miles and raised a total of £474 for the Wales Air Ambulance.

“Cadi loves helicopters and will always wave at them and tell her friends how she has been in the helicopter and how it took her to hospital.

“The other day, Cadi found 50p on the floor and it went straight into the Wales Air Ambulance collection bucket.”